Ayden was shocked. He would never in a million years have expected so wonderful a gift-especially from Da'ewyn. Looking at the Veela, he said, "I would be honored to be your brother. I've never had a sister, but I couldn't ask for a better one than you, Da'ewyn." He graciously accepted the gift.
They beamed at each other for several minutes until Da'ewyn said eagerly, "Well, try it on!"
Ayden stood and wrapped the belt around his waist. It was narrow enough not to interfere with his other weapons, and light enough not to feel cumbersome. All in all, it was a perfect fit. "It's a great treasure. Thank you." Then, for the first time in the history of Shae Vale, Veela and human hugged.
"You're welcome," Da'ewyn said and then lightly pranced away.
The next morning, Ayden and Volos came to Pax for another look at the map. But when Pax gave the command to reveal it, nothing happened. He tried twice more and then turned to face his companions. "I-It's gone," he said as a sadly as if he'd lost a body member.
"What do you mean, it's gone? How can it be gone?" Ayden asked frantically.
"Because we don't need it," Volos said soberly.
Ayden and Pax stared at Volos' expressionless face. Volos said, "I know where to go from here. We don't need the map anymore."
"Volos?" Ayden said as Volos turned away, scowling. Ayden didn't think pressing him was a good idea. But he knew he'd have to try to get Volos to talk to him sooner or later. They were getting much too close to the sword for anyone to be keeping secrets.
Plump raindrops pelted down on the travelers from a dark, lifeless cloud as Ayden contemplated how to approach his mentor. He covered his head with the hood of his cloak and walked on. Endia, on the other hand, sang out cheerfully as she ruffled and washed her feathers in the falling water.
Volos led the group silently in a slow and steady pace. Ayden was impatient. They had no idea what condition Freya was in at this point, and he wanted to get on with finding the sword. The longer they took, the more chance Freya would?
He shivered against his thoughts and the cold as he clutched his cloak closer to his body.
Ayden watched Volos approach the top of a steep hill, expecting him to disappear over the edge ahead of them. Instead, he stopped abruptly. No one made a sound as they joined him at his position, mortified at what they saw.
A black nightmare stretched before them in all directions. Every tree for as far as they could see had been burned, their charred trunks jutting from the ground like severed limbs. And, much to everyone's horror, several blackened forms of animals, twisted as if captured by a blaze too fast to outrun, littered the area. The repugnant stench of burned and rotting flesh filled the damp air.
"What has happened here?" Nya whispered in her tongue. Her teary eyes were filled with dark amazement.
No one spoke for a long while. Then Volos, shaking with rage, choked out, "This is the work of Degus. It has to be. No one else in Shae Vale would dare burn down the trees or so mercilessly kill creatures of the forest!"
"Why would she do this? What purpose could it possibly serve?" Ayden asked, forcing himself not to gag.
Volos looked straight ahead as he replied, "Because she knew we would need to cross here to get to the sword. She wants us in the open. And she didn't want the fairies using the trees to communicate."
Ayden's mind glimpsed the memory of the wind whispering in the willow when he'd woken at Faylinn Cannelita, and Freya's stories of the fairies using the wind in the trees to send messages to one another. "They actually do that?" He shook his head and focused on the moment at hand. "But what about what Arion said about her thinking we were lost?"
"I'm sure she did this before she got that message. This was burned a while ago. In any case, we have no choice but to walk through. Straight ahead is our quickest path, and the sooner we get there, the better!" Volos growled and lunged forward in a heated walk. Whatever he'd been resisting until then was momentarily forgotten in his rage over what Degus had done.
Ayden and the others followed, walking as fast as they could and even running at times. Ayden tried not to look at the charred remains of the animals as they passed their pitiful forms. The black ash and dust had turned into a grotesque slop from the rain, making it difficult not to slip.
They trudged on through the nightmare for the rest of the day. They were still in it as the sun began to set.
"We can't stop and camp in this," Da'ewyn shouted from the back of the trail. The rain had not subsided and everyone was soaked to the bone. Da'ewyn's skimpy clothing was offering little protection, so Ayden removed his cloak and wrapped it around her shivering form.
"We won't stay here. Keep going!" Volos shouted and everyone wearily continued.
Two hours had passed since the sky had grown dark when Volos finally yelled excitedly, "I think we've made it! I see trees ahead!" The group found energy they didn't know they had as they raced toward the forest. When they reached the trees, Pax hugged and kissed one of them with jubilation. The rain had become a light mist, and Pax struggled to light a fire. It took him awhile as his hands and the wood were both cold and soaked, but he eventually managed to create a warm and welcome blaze.
Sabina asked through chattering teeth, "Do you think this is wise-having this huge fire so close to the sword where Degus will have someone watching?"
"Well, we wouldn't be much use if we all got sick, would we?" Da'ewyn stated as she huddled close to the soothing flames. Everyone stayed close to the fire until their clothes and bodies were dry. Da'ewyn handed Ayden's cloak back to him with much appreciation. Then, they all ate and drank greedily, filling their bellies until they became sleepy.
When they awoke the next morning, Da'ewyn commented, "I don't like this. We should've run into some trouble by now. How could we get through such a big, open area all day and have a big blazing fire all night without being spotted?"
Volos looked around the area as if expecting to see something or someone. "I don't know. Let's just get moving before we are spotted."
Devlin and Da'ewyn took turns patrolling the area around the moving companions as they walked. A tentative silence surrounded them as they all felt the seriousness of their situation. They were getting close to the location of the sword; and Ayden knew that whatever it was that Volos feared was getting closer, too. His giant friend walked stiffly, his jaw muscle bulging as he clenched his teeth. His eyes and head were in constant motion as he surveyed every inch of the area around them.
The air hummed with silence and tension as the companions nibbled at their lunch that day. Ayden guessed the others had about as much appetite as he did, which was none at all. No one really took a rest, either. Even though they had stopped, each paced and checked weapons and re-arranged supplies. "Let's go," Volos said shortly. It had only been a few minutes, but everyone leapt into action as they followed Volos through the trees.
After several more hours of tense silence, Volos came to a halt at the edge of the forest. The trees formed a wall from which the companions emerged to face?
Ayden gasped and nearly ran back to the trees. About a half a mile ahead were two tall trees. They were twisted and blackened as if burned, and their spiny branches reached toward each other but did not touch, denying one another comfort. No visible wall accompanied the gate. Behind the gate lay a long, dark river accented by a small, colorless mountain range. A lone figure stood in front of the gate.
Volos was breathing as rapidly as Ayden. But Ayden knew Volos had no fear of rivers. So, what was his problem? Was it the figure he feared?
"That river was not on the map-neither was that gate," Da'ewyn stated.
Volos took a deep and long breath and then turned to his companions. "That gate was placed there for me. We will not get to the sword until I can get us past the gate," he said.
"I don't understand," Ayden replied as he gladly turned away from the river to look at his friend.
Volos quickly explaine
d, his words quick and choppy, "That figure guarding the gate was once to be my bride." Everyone gaped at him as he continued, "We were spies for our people. We stole a treasure-one from a group of Degus' spies. We were to use the treasure to fund more weapons. We needed more to fight as Degus' minions were invading our land, spoiling and killing. Plus, she was enslaving us, forcing our people to guard her own stolen lands and treasures. But we were caught. They surrounded us. I escaped," his eyes glossed over as he looked into his vivid past.
"I escaped, and I did not turn back to save her. She was left to take blame alone. I was utterly shamed. I became a renegade, stealing from and killing as many of Degus' people as I could find, thinking that it would forgive my crime. But it only added to my misery.
"I sought Palmaero and Aclippa," Volos paused.
Ayden's heart jumped. "There is one among your friends who is not ready to face me?" Palmaero had been speaking of Volos!
"I sought the touch of Palmaero's horn-my crimes, my selfishness, would cause his touch to bring death to me. I wanted to die." Volos lowered his head, ashamed.
"Instead, Aclippa found me. Her touch was a curse-to live with my pain until I repented and found forgiveness from the one I had betrayed. I went to my people," he looked directly at Ayden, "the Nagas. But they shunned me; word of what I had done had spread quickly, and our entire race was labeled as traitors."
'Nagas: guardians of great treasure'. How could he not tell me this before? How could I not see it? Ayden wondered. His narrowed pupils should've been a clue. Volos' race had, indeed, been branded untrustworthy, but Ayden had no idea that Volos was the cause. He understood now why his friend had been so adamant over Skeezicks at the bar in Lostar that day, and why he'd been so secretive about his past.
"After that I turned myself in at Hosgrow. And, as much as they helped me, I still couldn't face her. So I became a defender hoping that, somehow, I could make up for all I'd done."
You could've heard a pine needle drop in the silence that followed Volos' tale. No one seemed to know what to say or how to help. He angrily wiped his face dry and then turned to Ayden. "I will now have to face my past. And, if I can get us through that gate, Ayden, you will have to face your fear."
Ayden gulped as Da'ewyn asked, "Fear? What fear? What is he afraid of?"
A shiver coursed through Ayden's body as he looked past the gate at the river.
"He's afraid of the river," Devlin said as he followed Ayden's gaze. Ayden couldn't look at anyone. He couldn't bear to see their questioning eyes or their amused smirks.
"He lost his parents by a river," Sabina said softly with understanding. Ayden turned and saw that none of his friends were smirking or looking at him strangely.
Nya spoke, "We will be here, for both of you. You are not alone."
Devlin translated for her to Volos as Ayden suddenly realized what drew him to the siren. Her hope and comfort reminded him of Freya. "Thank you," he said and attempted a smile. Instead, he gulped as he choked back tears and nerves.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Facing Fears